KIRKUS REVIEW

A crash course in South Korean culture that provides kids with an overview of the country’s food, holidays, vocabulary and daily life.

This third book in Roman’s (Captain No Beard: Strangers on the High Seas, 2013, etc.) series follows the same premise as her previous books on France and Mexico. The book begins by pointing out South Korea’s geographical location and landforms, then touches on popularnames, types of currency and how South Korean children address their parents. Roman also mentions holidays, activities such as taekwondo, and school routines. It’s a very breezy book, with just a fact or two per page, which will be easy for many kids to absorb. The engaging tone keeps the educational aspects from feeling dry or boring. The book series has a simple but effective premise: It teaches kids the basics of another culture in a way that connects it to their own personal lives (“When you call your mommy, you would say Omma. When you address your father, his name would be Appa.”). The book pairs text with colorful images that help kids make these associations; for example, a page about Korean cuisine reads, “They would cook the meat right at the table on a very hot plate….Rice is usually always on the table. You would eat your meal with metal chopsticks,” and features illustrations of kids and parents at a table using each object. A pronunciation key at the end of the book, meanwhile, will help acquaint kids with the Korean language. Overall, Roman has written another winner, and elementary school classrooms could easily incorporate this book into lessons about South Korea.

A simple, thoughtful children’s overview of important aspects of South Korean culture.

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